NCF Response To CQC State Of Care Report
CQC today produced its annual review of health and social care services.
The National Care Forum (NCF) has issued a response to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual review of health and social care services. The NCF has said that it welcomes the ongoing focus on quality across the health and social care sector, and particularly welcomes the CQC focus on quality
across integrated health and social care services.
NCF Executive Director, Vic Rayner says:
“Against a back drop of the most challenging times the sector has ever faced it is encouraging to see an increase in the number of Adult Social Care services that are rated as good. The increase from 71% to 78% is a credit to the Registered Managers and staff who work in the sector seeking to provide the best outcomes for people using services. Staff continue to prioritise relationships and person centred practice. However, as the CQC have recognised in their report, the stresses and strains on the system, on people using services and on the staff cannot be sustained. The National Care Forum calls on the present government to demonstrate effective leadership and work in partnership with people using services, carers, providers and commissioners to ensure there is an informed and responsive solution to the crisis facing ASC. “
Vic Rayner goes on to say:
“The CQC report rightly highlights the complexities of integration, and NCF welcomes the increased focus on driving forward quality across the system, as well as within individual services. Urgent progress is required to stop people receiving fragmented services that do not meet their needs. High quality, effectively funded and sustainable Adult Social Care is good for people and good for the NHS.”
Vic Rayner states further:
“NCF note the emphasis within the report on innovation as a key contributor to outstanding services. The ability to innovate to sustain and enhance quality under extraordinary resource pressure has characterised much of the not for profit care sector. NCF particularly believes that there are significant gains to be made through the adoption of new technologies to enhance quality care. However, as the report notes future quality is ‘precarious’ and ‘staff resilience is not inexhaustible’, and therefore this needs to be recognised as an areas of strategic importance and investment in ongoing and future discussions about care provision.
In addition, NCF welcomes the recognition of the scale of work to be done to ensure services meet the needs of future communities. NCF has been working in partnership to raise the agenda around
In addition, NCF welcomes the recognition of the scale of work to be done to ensure services meet the needs of future communities. NCF has been working in partnership to raise the agenda around equality and care services, and agrees there is much work to do across the system to ensure equality is embedded into quality improvement.”
Finally, Vic Rayner says
“Insufficient funding, a crisis in recruitment and retention especially of nurses and handing back of contracts to Local Authorities does not make for comfortable reading. Urgent investment and a full analysis of the changes required must happen now.”
